Multimedia journalist, editor and producer. Email: tadhg@peavoy.com.

Five unions agree to stick by ERC

The FFR, FIR, IRFU, SRU and WRU met in Dublin tonight with the following points decided upon in relation to the future of European club rugby:

• Their agreement with the new competition formats and financial distribution formula previously agreed by the six Unions who attended the mediated meeting in Dublin on 23-24 October (http://www.ercrugby.com/news/25300.php ).

Following today’s discussions, the five Unions have agreed the following:

• A European club competition is to take place during the 2014/2015 season following an optimised sporting and economic format with 20 teams, no matter how many countries are involved.

• The competition will be driven by the existing organisation (currently named ERC) which will remain in charge of the centralised sale and management of all commercial rights, amongst other things.

• Discussions over governance will be pursued in order to optimise the internal functioning of the existing organisation (currently named ERC).

• The common aim is to move eventually towards the integration of European competitions within an all-encompassing European rugby framework.